List of VFL/AFL minor premiers
This page is a complete chronological listing of VFL/AFL minor premiers. The Australian Football League (AFL), known as the Victorian Football League (VFL) until 1989, is the elite national competition in men's Australian rules football.
The team that finishes the home-and-away season on top of the premiership ladder is known as the "minor premier". Unlike many other sports and competitions, in Australian rules football culture, minor premierships have far less significance than the premiership;[1][2] finishing on top of the ladder provides seeding benefits during the AFL finals series, while the main league award is the AFL premiership, which is awarded to the winner of the AFL Grand Final.[3][4][5] Between 1991 and 2022, the McClelland Trophy was also awarded to the minor premier.[6]
As of 2023, 67 minor premiers have won the VFL/AFL premiership, 43 have finished as runners-up, and 17 have finished third, failing to qualify for the grand final. The success rate of minor premiers winning the major premiership has reduced greatly since 1994, when the finals series was expanded to eight clubs and the benefits enjoyed by the minor premier in bye weeks and double-chances during the finals were reduced and diluted.
List of minor premiers
The following is a list of minor premiers, ladder details and results.
| Season | Minor premier | Points | Percentage | Second place | Margin | Final result | Premiers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1897 | Geelong | 44 | 184.3 | Essendon | 25.3% | Runners-up | Essendon |
| 1898 | Essendon | 44 | 202.1 | Collingwood | 4 points | Runners-up | Fitzroy |
| 1899 | Fitzroy | 44 | 153.3 | Geelong | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1900 | Fitzroy (2) | 44 | 168.0 | Geelong | 8 points | Runners-up | Melbourne |
| 1901 | Geelong (2) | 56 | 142.9 | Essendon | 8 points | Third | Essendon |
| 1902 | Collingwood | 60 | 199.5 | Essendon | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1903 | Collingwood (2) | 60 | 159.4 | Fitzroy | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1904 | Fitzroy (3) | 48 | 128.2 | Carlton | 6 points | Premiers | |
| 1905 | Collingwood (3) | 60 | 175.0 | Fitzroy | 10 points | Runners-up | Fitzroy |
| 1906 | Carlton | 56 | 153.5 | Fitzroy | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1907 | Carlton (2) | 52 | 155.7 | South Melbourne | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1908 | Carlton (3) | 68 | 169.4 | Essendon | 12 points | Premiers | |
| 1909 | South Melbourne | 56 | 168.9 | Carlton | 22.1% | Premiers | |
| 1910 | Carlton (4) | 60 | 160.1 | Collingwood | 8 points | Runners-up | Collingwood |
| 1911 | Essendon (2) | 62 | 178.3 | South Melbourne | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1912 | South Melbourne (2) | 56 | 157.0 | Carlton | 25.8% | Runners-up | Essendon |
| 1913 | Fitzroy (4) | 64 | 144.3 | South Melbourne | 6 points | Premiers | |
| 1914 | Carlton (5) | 56 | 129.7 | South Melbourne | 6 points | Premiers | |
| 1915 | Collingwood (4) | 56 | 166.1 | Carlton | 2 points | Runners-up | Carlton |
| 1916 | Carlton (6) | 40 | 137.2 | Collingwood | 14 points | Runners-up | Fitzroy |
| 1917 | Collingwood (5) | 42 | 133.4 | Carlton | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1918 | South Melbourne (3) | 52 | 143.1 | Collingwood | 12 points | Premiers | |
| 1919 | Collingwood (6) | 52 | 162.3 | South Melbourne | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1920 | Richmond | 56 | 146.4 | Fitzroy | 3.2% | Premiers | |
| 1921 | Carlton (7) | 56 | 142.0 | Richmond | 8 points | Runners-up | Richmond |
| 1922 | Collingwood (7) | 48 | 127.8 | Essendon | 6 points | Runners-up | Fitzroy |
| 1923 | Essendon (3) | 52 | 135.8 | Fitzroy | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1924 | Essendon (4) | 46 | 131.6 | South Melbourne | 2 points | Premiers | |
| 1925 | Geelong (3) | 60 | 152.7 | Essendon | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1926 | Collingwood (8) | 60 | 149.3 | Geelong | 4.1% | Runners-up | Melbourne |
| 1927 | Collingwood (9) | 60 | 150.6 | Richmond | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1928 | Collingwood (10) | 60 | 134.6 | Richmond | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1929 | Collingwood (11) | 72 | 171.7 | Carlton | 12 points | Premiers | |
| 1930 | Collingwood (12) | 60 | 144.3 | Carlton | 2.7% | Premiers | |
| 1931 | Geelong (4) | 60 | 151.4 | Richmond | 10.3% | Premiers | |
| 1932 | Carlton (8) | 60 | 137.8 | Richmond | 2 points | Runners-up | Richmond |
| 1933 | Richmond (2) | 60 | 141.1 | South Melbourne | 8 points | Runners-up | South Melbourne |
| 1934 | Richmond (3) | 60 | 121.3 | Geelong | 2 points | Premiers | |
| 1935 | South Melbourne (4) | 64 | 137.6 | Collingwood | 4 points | Runners-up | Collingwood |
| 1936 | South Melbourne (5) | 64 | 118.5 | Collingwood | 4 points | Runners-up | Collingwood |
| 1937 | Geelong (5) | 60 | 135.3 | Melbourne | 4.1% | Premiers | |
| 1938 | Carlton (9) | 56 | 116.1 | Geelong | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1939 | Melbourne | 60 | 128.4 | Collingwood | 6.4% | Premiers | |
| 1940 | Melbourne (2) | 56 | 125.8 | Richmond | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1941 | Carlton (10) | 56 | 120.3 | Melbourne | 3.1% | Third | Melbourne |
| 1942 | Essendon (5) | 52 | 127.1 | Richmond | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1943 | Richmond (4) | 44 | 123.1 | Essendon | 7.9% | Premiers | |
| 1944 | Richmond (5) | 54 | 131.1 | Fitzroy | 0.1% | Runners-up | Fitzroy |
| 1945 | South Melbourne (6) | 64 | 131.8 | Collingwood | 4 points | Runners-up | Carlton |
| 1946 | Essendon (6) | 60 | 140.7 | Collingwood | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1947 | Carlton (11) | 60 | 134.0 | Essendon | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1948 | Essendon (7) | 66 | 137.2 | Melbourne | 14 points | Runners-up | Melbourne |
| 1949 | North Melbourne | 56 | 119.1 | Carlton | 4 points | Third | Essendon |
| 1950 | Essendon (8) | 68 | 162.2 | North Melbourne | 16 points | Premiers | |
| 1951 | Geelong (6) | 56 | 135.4 | Collingwood | 9.8% | Premiers | |
| 1952 | Geelong (7) | 66 | 134.7 | Collingwood | 10 points | Premiers | |
| 1953 | Geelong (8) | 60 | 143.3 | Collingwood | 4 points | Runners-up | Collingwood |
| 1954 | Geelong (9) | 52 | 133.1 | Footscray | 6 points | Third | Footscray |
| 1955 | Melbourne (3) | 60 | 150.5 | Collingwood | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1956 | Melbourne (4) | 64 | 146.0 | Collingwood | 12 points | Premiers | |
| 1957 | Melbourne (5) | 50 | 138.8 | Essendon | 6 points | Premiers | |
| 1958 | Melbourne (6) | 60 | 123.7 | Collingwood | 12 points | Runners-up | Collingwood |
| 1959 | Melbourne (7) | 54 | 142.7 | Carlton | 2 points | Premiers | |
| 1960 | Melbourne (8) | 56 | 143.1 | Fitzroy | 30.6% | Premiers | |
| 1961 | Hawthorn | 56 | 125.1 | Melbourne | 6 points | Premiers | |
| 1962 | Essendon (9) | 64 | 130.4 | Geelong | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1963 | Hawthorn (2) | 54 | 130.6 | Geelong | 2.4% | Runners-up | Geelong |
| 1964 | Melbourne (9) | 56 | 138.1 | Collingwood | 2 points | Premiers | |
| 1965 | St Kilda | 56 | 136.3 | Collingwood | 4 points | Runners-up | Essendon |
| 1966 | Collingwood (13) | 60 | 157.2 | St Kilda | 4 points | Runners-up | St Kilda |
| 1967 | Richmond (6) | 60 | 145.9 | Carlton | 2 points | Premiers | |
| 1968 | Essendon (10) | 66 | 130.3 | Carlton | 6 points | Runners-up | Carlton |
| 1969 | Collingwood (14) | 60 | 129.0 | Carlton | 8.5% | Third | Richmond |
| 1970 | Collingwood (15) | 72 | 136.5 | Carlton | 8 points | Runners-up | Carlton |
| 1971 | Hawthorn (3) | 76 | 153.7 | St Kilda | 12 points | Premiers | |
| 1972 | Carlton (12) | 74 | 134.3 | Richmond | 2 points | Premiers | |
| 1973 | Collingwood (16) | 76 | 125.5 | Richmond | 8 points | Third | Richmond |
| 1974 | Richmond (7) | 68 | 129.3 | North Melbourne | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1975 | Hawthorn (4) | 68 | 137.3 | Carlton | 4 points | Runners-up | North Melbourne |
| 1976 | Carlton (13) | 66 | 132.8 | Hawthorn | 2 points | Third | Hawthorn |
| 1977 | Collingwood (17) | 72 | 130.7 | Hawthorn | 4 points | Runners-up | North Melbourne |
| 1978 | North Melbourne (2) | 64 | 120.9 | Hawthorn | 3.2% | Runners-up | Hawthorn |
| 1979 | Carlton (14) | 76 | 139.6 | North Melbourne | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1980 | Geelong (10) | 68 | 125.1 | Carlton | 4.0% | Third | Richmond |
| 1981 | Carlton (15) | 68 | 130.3 | Collingwood | 7.7% | Premiers | |
| 1982 | Richmond (8) | 72 | 126.2 | Hawthorn | 4 points | Runners-up | Carlton |
| 1983 | North Melbourne (3) | 64 | 127.8 | Hawthorn | 4 points | Third | Hawthorn |
| 1984 | Essendon (11) | 72 | 128.2 | Hawthorn | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1985 | Essendon (12) | 76 | 138.4 | Footscray | 12 points | Premiers | |
| 1986 | Hawthorn (5) | 72 | 141.6 | Sydney | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1987 | Carlton (16) | 72 | 138.0 | Hawthorn | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1988 | Hawthorn (6) | 76 | 142.3 | Collingwood | 14 points | Premiers | |
| 1989 | Hawthorn (7) | 76 | 153.2 | Essendon | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1990 | Essendon (13) | 68 | 139.2 | Collingwood | 4 points | Runners-up | Collingwood |
| 1991 | West Coast | 76 | 162.2 | Hawthorn | 12 points | Runners-up | Hawthorn |
| 1992 | Geelong (11) | 64 | 145.6 | Footscray | 15.8% | Runners-up | West Coast |
| 1993 | Essendon (14) | 54 | 119.1 | Carlton | 1.5% | Premiers | |
| 1994 | West Coast (2) | 64 | 132.2 | Carlton | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1995 | Carlton (17) | 80 | 137.8 | Geelong | 16 points | Premiers | |
| 1996 | Sydney (7) | 66 | 123.9 | North Melbourne | 2 points | Runners-up | North Melbourne |
| 1997 | St Kilda (2) | 60 | 119.6 | Geelong | 1.7% | Runners-up | Adelaide |
| 1998 | North Melbourne (4) | 64 | 117.4 | Western Bulldogs | 4 points | Runners-up | Adelaide |
| 1999 | Essendon (15) | 72 | 126.0 | Kangaroos | 4 points | Third | Kangaroos |
| 2000 | Essendon (16) | 84 | 159.1 | Carlton | 20 points | Premiers | |
| 2001 | Essendon (17) | 68 | 134.5 | Brisbane Lions | 6.9% | Runners-up | Brisbane Lions |
| 2002 | Port Adelaide | 72 | 132.4 | Brisbane Lions | 4 points | Third | Brisbane Lions |
| 2003 | Port Adelaide (2) | 72 | 127.2 | Collingwood | 12 points | Third | Brisbane Lions |
| 2004 | Port Adelaide (3) | 68 | 132.4 | Brisbane Lions | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 2005 | Adelaide | 68 | 136.5 | West Coast | 12.5% | Third | Sydney |
| 2006 | West Coast (3) | 68 | 120.4 | Adelaide | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 2007 | Geelong (12) | 72 | 152.8 | Port Adelaide | 12 points | Premiers | |
| 2008 | Geelong (13) | 84 | 161.8 | Hawthorn | 16 points | Runners-up | Hawthorn |
| 2009 | St Kilda (3) | 80 | 155.7 | Geelong | 8 points | Runners-up | Geelong |
| 2010 | Collingwood (18) | 70 | 141.7 | Geelong | 2 points | Premiers | |
| 2011 | Collingwood (19) | 80 | 167.7 | Geelong | 4 points | Runners-up | Geelong |
| 2012 | Hawthorn (8) | 68 | 154.6 | Adelaide | 22.1% | Runners-up | Sydney |
| 2013 | Hawthorn (9) | 76 | 135.7 | Geelong | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 2014 | Sydney (8) | 68 | 142.9 | Hawthorn | 2.1% | Runners-up | Hawthorn |
| 2015 | Fremantle | 68 | 118.7 | West Coast | 2 points | Third | Hawthorn |
| 2016 | Sydney (9) | 68 | 158.8 | Geelong | 7.4% | Runners-up | Western Bulldogs |
| 2017 | Adelaide (2) | 62 | 136.0 | Geelong | 18.6% | Runners-up | Richmond |
| 2018 | Richmond (9) | 72 | 136.1 | West Coast | 8 points | Third | West Coast |
| 2019 | Geelong (14) | 64 | 135.7 | Brisbane Lions | 17.4% | Third | Richmond |
| 2020 | Port Adelaide (4) | 56 | 136.4 | Brisbane Lions | 11.5% | Third | Richmond |
| 2021 | Melbourne (10) | 70 | 130.8 | Port Adelaide | 2 points | Premiers | |
| 2022 | Geelong (15) | 72 | 144.3 | Melbourne | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 2023 | Collingwood (20) | 72 | 127.0 | Brisbane Lions | 4 points | Premiers | |
Minor premiership wins
| Club | Years in competition |
Minor premierships |
Minor premiers and premiers in same year |
Most recent minor premiership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collingwood | 1897–present | 20 | 10 | 2023 |
| Carlton | 1897–present | 17 | 11 | 1995 |
| Essendon | 1897–present | 17 | 11 | 2001 |
| Geelong | 1897–present | 15 | 7 | 2022 |
| Melbourne | 1897–present | 10 | 9 | 2021 |
| Hawthorn | 1925–present | 9 | 6 | 2013 |
| Richmond | 1908–present | 9 | 5 | 2018 |
| South Melbourne / Sydney | 1897–present | 9 | 2 | 2016 |
| Fitzroy | 1897–1996 | 4 | 3 | 1913 |
| Port Adelaide | 1997–present | 4 | 1 | 2020 |
| North Melbourne / Kangaroos | 1925–present | 4 | 0 | 1998 |
| West Coast | 1987–present | 3 | 2 | 2006 |
| St Kilda | 1897–present | 3 | 0 | 2009 |
| Adelaide | 1991–present | 2 | 0 | 2017 |
| Fremantle | 1995–present | 1 | 0 | 2015 |
| Footscray / Western Bulldogs | 1925–present | 0 | — | — |
| Brisbane Lions | 1997–present | 0 | — | — |
| Gold Coast | 2011–present | 0 | — | — |
| Greater Western Sydney | 2012–present | 0 | — | — |
| University | 1908–1914 | 0 | — | — |
| Brisbane Bears | 1987–1996 | 0 | — | — |
Minor premiership records
- Most consecutive minor premierships: 6 (Melbourne, 1955–1960)
- Longest minor premiership drought: 99 years (Footscray / Western Bulldogs; never won a minor premiership)
See also
References
- ^ Chris Scott's wish granted as AFL "recognises the minor premier" in combined AFL, AFLW McClelland Trophy by Aidan Cellini for Sporting News 9 March 2023
- ^ Perkin, Steve (5 May 1991). "Exposed! The Dr McClelland Trophy". The Age. p. 69.
- ^ Stevens, Mark (18 July 2007). "Cats should be rewarded". Herald Sun. Retrieved 15 November 2009.
- ^ Wilson, Caroline (13 November 2009). "Saints struggle for profit despite successful season". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 15 November 2009.
- ^ Wilson, Caroline (24 August 2003). "Only one trophy good enough for Port". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 15 November 2009.
- ^ Football Record 30/31 March 1 April 1991 page 3, McClelland Trophy - A New Look -